AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description - Effective Fall 2019

Sep 22, 2026

AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description (effective Fall 2019) provides an updated course framework, instructional section, and exam information for the Advanced Placement U.S. History program. It details historical thinking skills, reasoning processes, course content by units and periods, and course-at-a-glance structure. The document also includes sample exam questions and references to AP History rubrics, along with acknowledgments and an appendix concept outline.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages276

Reading Time11 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

About AP

AP Resources and Supports

Instructional Model

About the AP U.S. History Course

Course Framework

Introduction

The Founding Documents

Course Framework Components

Historical Thinking Skills and Reasoning Processes

Course Content

Course at a Glance

Unit Guides

Using the Unit Guides

Instructional Approaches

Selecting and Using Course Materials

Instructional Strategies

Developing Historical Thinking Skills

Developing the Reasoning Processes

Exam Information

Exam Overview

Sample Exam Questions

AP History Rubrics

Appendix

AP U.S. History Concept Outline

INCLUDES Course framework Instructional section Sample exam questions AP® U.S. History COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION Effective Fall 2019 AP® U.S. History COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION Effective Fall 2019 AP COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTIONS ARE UPDATED PERIODICALLY Please visit AP Central ([apcentral.collegeboard.org](apcentral.collegeboard.org)) to determine whether a more recent course and exam description is available. About College Board College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success—includingthe SAT® and the Advanced Placement® Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools. For further information, [visit](visit collegeboard.org)[ collegeboard.org](visit collegeboard.org). AP Equity and Access Policy College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP. We encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access to AP for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented. Schools should make every effort to ensure their AP classes reflect the diversity of their student population. College Board also believes that all students should have access to academically challenging coursework before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare them for AP success. It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and access that true equity and excellence can be achieved. Designers: Sonny Mui and Bill Tully © 2019 College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement, AP, AP Central, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of College Board. All other products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. [Visit College Board on the web:](Visit College Board on the web: collegeboard.org)[ collegeboard.org](Visit College Board on the web: collegeboard.org). Contents v Acknowledgments 1 About AP 4 AP Resources and Supports 6 Instructional Model 7 About the AP U.S. History Course 7 College Course Equivalent 7 Prerequisites COURSE FRAMEWORK 11 Introduction 11 The Founding Documents 13 Course Framework Components 15 Historical Thinking Skills and Reasoning Processes 19 Course Content 24 Course at a Glance 29 Unit Guides 31 Using the Unit Guides 33 UNIT 1– Period 1: 1491–1607 47 UNIT 2– Period 2: 1607–1754 65 UNIT 3– Period 3: 1754–1800 89 UNIT 4 – Period 4: 1800–1848 111 UNIT 5– Period 5: 1844–1877 131 UNIT 6– Period 6: 1865–1898 153 UNIT 7– Period 7: 1890–1945 177 UNIT 8– Period 8: 1945–1980 203 UNIT 9– Period 9: 1980–Present INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES 219 Selecting and Using Course Materials 221 Instructional Strategies 226 Developing Historical Thinking Skills 236 Developing the Reasoning Processes EXAM INFORMATION 241 Exam Overview 247 Sample Exam Questions 261 AP History Rubrics APPENDIX 267 AP U.S. History Concept Outline THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. Acknowledgments College Board would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with and contributions to the development of this course over the years. All individuals’ affiliations were current at the time of contribution. Fred Anderson, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO Juliana Barr, Duke University, Durham, NC Julie

FAQs

When does this AP U.S. History course and exam description take effect?

It is effective Fall 2019, as stated in the document header and repeated on the cover text.

What does the document include besides the exam overview?

It provides the course framework, instructional approaches, unit guides by periods, and historical thinking skills and reasoning processes, along with a concept outline in the appendix.

Where can sample exam questions be found?

In the “Exam Information” section, under “Sample Exam Questions.”

Does the document include historical rubrics for the AP History exam?

Yes. The “Exam Information” section lists “AP History Rubrics.”

Sep 22, 2026

Uploaded by Emma Wilson

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